Mission
To educate and train soldiers through the process of collecting, preserving, and interpreting objects, images, archival material, and artifacts related to the history of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Responsibilities
The Office of Army Reserve History (OARH), United States Army Reserve Command (USARC), HQ is responsible for managing and maintaining the Army Reserve Historical Collections located at USARC, HQ and other Army Reserve Commands and organizations. These artifacts are part of the Army Museum Enterprise.
Background: The AME is a management construct for Army museums. It is a network of museums, training support facilities (TSFs), historical collections, heritage displays, and support centers that perform education, training, research and development, conservation and preservation, unit heritage activities, and public outreach for the Army. The AME and its artifact management processes are governed by laws and regulations managed and executed by the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH), a Core Function Lead under the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)
For more information on the AME: https://history.army.mil/museums/index.html
What We Collect
The OARH collects historical artifacts relative to the history of the Army Reserve dating back to the founding of the creation of the Medical Corps in 1908 as the precursor of the Army Reserve up through the present. The OARH collects related material from units or personalities associated with the Army Reserve’s history.
If interested in donating items to the OARH, please contact the Museum Specialist @ 910-570-9595.
Donation Procedures
1. Contact the Museum Specialist at the number provided.
2. Fill out DA Form 5572-R (follow instructions on form and contact POC above if you have further questions)
3. Once the item is acceptable for donation by the OARH staff, an accession packet will be generated and submitted to the AME Collection Committee. Information needed for the packet consists of photographs, documents, and research. Primary information needed about the object are as follows: provenance; significant or key event or person associated to item(s); time period of item(s); uniqueness of the item; and documentation that can accompany item(s)
4. Museum staff may ask to see the items in person for inspection and authentication, however, OARH cannot legally take possession of the item(s) until approval by the AME Collection Committee.
Pictured above: Christopher Ruff, curator of the National Museum of the Army Reserve, installs signs on historical uniform displays at the U.S. Army Forces Command and U.S. Army Reserve Command headquarters on Friday, July 29, 2011, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.